Pliers for chain link

ABSTRACT

A pliers for chain link includes a left pliers body, a right pliers body, a pin and an elastic member. The left pliers body and the right pliers body are connected either in a parallel form or in a cross form. Center portions of the left and right pliers bodies are connected by the pin. The elastic member is located between the left and right pliers bodies. The left and the right pliers bodies includes clamping portions which have jaw parts. The jaw parts have curved edges thereon. The jaw part of the left pliers body corresponds to the jaw part of the right pliers body. The curved edges are adapted to lean against chain pins of chain plates to stabilize the operation of clamping.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a pliers adapted to assemble chainplates of a bicycle chain, in particular to assemble or disassemble aself-clipped chain link of a bicycle chain.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional chain link of the bicycle chain commonly adds an exteriorlink plate and disposes respective annular grooves on either end or bothends of a chain pin. Concerning to the assembling, a C-shape bucklingpart is disposed relative to the exterior plate, by which the platecould be clasped on the annular groove to prevent the escape of thechain pin.

Further concerning to the detachment, the above typical invention needsto use specific tools to execute the dismantlement with following steps:initially fasten the chain link, force the exterior link plate to open,and thence extrude the chain pin out via a pusher. Such typical chaindetacher is generally classified into IPC B21 L 21/00.

As in a prior invention, FIG. 1 of “KNUCKLE CONNECTOR FOR CONNECTING ENDKNUCKLES OF A CHAIN STRAND” published by U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,730, oranother prior invention, FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 of “MASTER CHAIN LINK”published by U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,282, mainly directed to a chain linkconfiguration. It should note that nowhere professional or specifictools could be in normal to the detachment of such chain link. Instead,a commonly manual tool is well-known used to accomplish its detachment,for instance of a long flat nose pliers which could be utilized toforcedly propel the chain pin from the buckled groove into a freeorifice. Similarly, to assemble this chain link, the same tool is alsoused for pushing the chain pin from the orifice into the groove.However, the typical master chain link facilely cause the chain pinslipped and inconvenient operation as a result of the pin formed of anarcuate contour that leads to the chain pin merely contacting with thejaw part of the pliers at one point.

Further, to assemble the chain plates, it is required to use the pliersto force the pin into the engaging hole, which also has the sameproblem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above mentioned shortcomings, the present invention is toprovide a pliers for chain link, which has curved edges provided on jawparts of clamping portions of the pliers. The curved edges are adaptedto lean against arc surfaces of a chain pin so as to correct theslippery issue.

According to the present invention, there is provided a pliers for chainlink, which comprises a left pliers body, a right pliers body, a pin andan elastic member. The left pliers body and the right pliers body areconnected either in a parallel form or in a cross form. Center portionsof the left and right pliers bodies are connected by the pin. Theelastic member is located between the left and right pliers bodies.Since the left pliers body and the right pliers body are identical, onlyone will be described hereinafter. The left pliers body comprises ahandle, a connecting portion connected to the handle, and a clampingportion connected to the connecting portion. The connecting portion hasa through hole. The clamping portion has a jaw part extending from adistal end thereof. At least one of the jaw parts of the left and rightpliers bodies has a curved edge. The pin is inserted through the throughholes of the left pliers body and the right pliers body to connect theleft and right pliers bodies together. The jaw part of the left pliersbody corresponds to the jaw part of the right pliers body. The elasticmember has two opposite ends, with one end inserted into a fixing holeof the handle of the left pliers body and the other end inserted into afixing hole of the handle of the right pliers body, such that theelastic member is positioned between the handle of the left pliers bodyand the handle of the right pliers body.

Preferably, the left pliers body and the right pliers body are connectedin a parallel form. Both the jaw parts of the left pliers body and theright pliers body have curve edges which are disposed in oppositedirections.

Alternatively, the left pliers body and the right pliers body areconnected in a cross form. Both the jaw parts of the left pliers bodyand the right pliers body have curve edges which are disposed to facewith each other.

Preferably, the curved edge has an arc shape, is formed with teeth, orhas an arc shape with teeth thereon.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a pliersfor chain link, which can hold chain plates firmly.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pliers forchain link, which is easy to operate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view according to a first embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing that the jaw parts of the pliersare inserted in chain plates according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing that the chain pins are assembledaccording to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view according to a second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view according to the second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing that the jaw parts of the pliersare inserted in chain plates according to the second embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing that the chain pins aredisassembled according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a first embodiment of the present inventioncomprises a left pliers body 1, a right pliers body 2, a pin 3 and anelastic member 4. The left pliers body 1 and the right pliers body 2 areconnected in a parallel form. Central portions of the left pliers body 1and the right pliers body 2 are pivoted by the pin 3. The elastic member4 is located between the left pliers body 1 and the right pliers body 2.

The left pliers body 1 comprises a handle 11, a connecting portion 12connected to the handle 11, and a clamping portion 13 connected to theconnecting portion 12. The handle 11 has a fixing hole 111 disposedadjacent to the connecting portion 12. The connecting portion 12 has athrough hole 121 thereon. The clamping portion 13 comprises a jaw part131 bending from a distal end thereof. The jaw part 131 has a curvededge 132 thereon. The curved edge 132 has an arc shape with teeththereon.

The right pliers body 2 comprises a handle 21, a connecting portion 22connected to the handle 21, and a clamping portion 23 connected to theconnecting portion 22. The handle 21 has a fixing hole 211 disposedadjacent to the connecting portion 22. The connecting portion 22 has athrough hole 221 thereon. The clamping portion 23 comprises a jaw part231 bending from a distal end thereof. The jaw part 231 has a curvededge 232 thereon. The curved edge 232 has an arc shape with teeththereon.

The pin 3 is inserted in the through hole 121 of the left pliers body 1and the through hole 221 of the right pliers body 2 to connect the leftpliers body 1 and the right pliers body 2 together. The jaw part 131 ofthe left pliers body 1 corresponds to the jaw part 231 of the rightpliers body 2.

The elastic member 4 has two opposite ends 41 and 42, with one endinserted into the fixing hole 111 of the handle 11 of the left pliersbody 1 and the other end inserted into the fixing hole 211 of the handle21 of the right pliers body 2, such that the elastic member 4 ispositioned between the handle 11 of the left pliers body 1 and thehandle 21 of the right pliers body 2.

In this embodiment, the left pliers body 1 and the right pliers body 2are disposed in a parallel form, with the connecting portions 12 and 22overlapped. The curved edge 132 on the jaw part 131 of the left pliersbody 1 and the curved edge 232 on the jaw part 231 of the right pliersbody 2 are disposed in opposite directions.

This embodiment is adapted to assemble a chain link. As shown in FIG. 3,the jaw parts 131, 231 are inserted into an interstice between adjacentchain pins of a chain link. Wherein, one chain pin 51 of chain plates 5is inserted in an disengaging hole 52. As shown in FIG. 4, one of thecurved edges 132, 232 is against the chain pin 51. The handles 11, 21are constricted to expand the two jaw parts 131, 231, such that thechain pin 51 is pushed to enter an engaging hole 53 for positioning.During this operation, the curved edges 132, 232 lean against arcsurfaces of the chain pin 51, without disengagement. This embodimentalso can be used to disassemble the chain link. However, it is laboriousfor the chain pin 51 to escape from the engaging hole 53 to thedisengaging hole 52. But if the force is applied to the chain pin 51from outside to inside, the operation will be easier. Therefore, asecond embodiment is provided as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, the left pliers body 1A and the right pliers body 2Aare connected by the pin 3A. The elastic member 4A is provided betweenthe left pliers body 1A and the right pliers body 2A. The differencebetween the first and the second embodiments is that the left pliersbody 1A and the right pliers body 2A are connected in a cross form, withthe connecting portions 12A and 22A overlapped. The curved edge 132A ofthe jaw part 131A of the left pliers body 1 and the curved edge 232A ofthe jaw part 231A of the right pliers body 2 are disposed to face witheach other.

To disassemble the chain plates 5, as shown in FIG. 7, the jaw parts131A and 231A are inserted to lean against the arc surfaces of the chainpins 51 of the chain plates 5. As shown in FIG. 8, the chain pin 51 ispushed from the engaging hole 53 to the disengaging hole 52 so as todisassemble the chain plates 5. During this operation, the curved edges132A and 232A lean against the arc surfaces of the chain pins 51 firmly.

According to the above description, one can find that the curved edges132, 232, 132A and 232A are the major object to facilitate the assemblyor disassembly process more securely.

1. A pliers for chain link, comprising a left pliers body, a rightpliers body, a pin, and an elastic member, the left pliers body and theright pliers body being connected in a parallel form, central portionsof the left pliers body and the right pliers body being pivoted by thepin, the elastic member being located between the left pliers body andthe right pliers body, the left pliers body and the right pliers bodycomprising clamping portions, the clamping portions comprising jawparts, at least one of the jaw parts having a curved edge thereon, thejaw part of the left pliers body corresponding to the jaw part of theright pliers body.
 2. The pliers as claimed in claim 1, wherein thecurved edge has an arc shape.
 3. The pliers as claimed in claim 1,wherein the curved edge has teeth thereon.
 4. The pliers as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the curved edge has an arc shape with teeth thereon. 5.The pliers as claimed in claim 1, wherein the jaw parts of the leftpliers body and the right pliers body have curve edges which aredisposed in opposite directions.
 6. A pliers for chain link, comprisinga left pliers body, a right pliers body, a pin and an elastic member,the left pliers body and the right pliers body being connected in across form, central portions of the left pliers body and the rightpliers body being pivoted by the pin, the elastic member being locatedbetween the left pliers body and the right pliers body, the left pliersbody and the right pliers body comprising clamping portions, theclamping portions comprising jaw parts, at least one of the jaw partshaving a curved edge thereon, the jaw part of the left pliers bodycorresponding to the jaw part of the right pliers body
 7. The pliers asclaimed in claim 6, wherein the curved edge has an arc shape.
 8. Thepliers as claimed in claim 6, wherein the curved edge has teeth thereon.9. The pliers as claimed in claim 6, wherein the curved edge has an arcshape with teeth thereon.
 10. The pliers as claimed in claim 6, whereinthe jaw parts of the left pliers body and the right pliers body havecurve edges which are disposed to face with each other.